Jenny O'Connor opting out of Indigo Shire mayor job following personal upheaval

The former Victorian election candidate will not recontest the position when it is made vacant at a meeting on November 23.

Cr O'Connor has been mayor for four of the last five years.

She said the recent passing of her dad meant she needed to devote more time to caring for her mother who lives on the outskirts of Melbourne.

"I can't make the time commitment required for mayor because of my other responsibilities and for that reason I don't think it would be fair," Cr O'Connor said.

"I have to be physically present and I'm not really going to be able to do that and provide support to my mother as I want to in the next 12 months."

Cr O'Connor would not rule out seeking the mayoralty at a later point.

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She plans to nominate former mayor Larry Goldsworthy as her successor.

"We share a lot of ideals around needing to work on climate change, wanting to see much more focus on that issue," Cr O'Connor said.

"Larry put up the declaration for a climate emergency so he's been a driver in that area."

Cr Goldsworthy told The Border Mail he would stand for mayor and see how the numbers fall.

He would split the role with his full-time job as a policeman, as he did when he led the council in 2012.

Deputy mayor Peter Croucher said he was unlikely to seek the top job.

"I've been deputy mayor five or six times, I quite enjoy the deputy's role rather than the mayoral role," he said.

"I haven't completely dismissed it, but I think there are others that are capable."

Former mayor Bernard Gaffney was coy when asked if he would seek a return to the role.

"I haven't given it serious consideration, but never say never," he said.

Cr O'Connor nominated successfully lobbying for $10,000 government small business grants as the highlight of her time leading the council in the last two years.

She will remain as the deputy chair of the Rural Councils Victoria group, given its work is largely online.

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